Vikings Must Make Key Decisions On Hunter, Jefferson, Cousins Right Now

The clock is ticking on the Minnesota Vikings. As the team prepares to start training camp in late July, the Vikings have a new set of financial issues that they did have through the majority of the 2022 season.

By sending players like Dalvin Tomlinson, Za’Darius Smith and Adam Thielen packing, the Vikings are no longer dripping in red ink on the salary cap. Actually, the Vikings rank 8^th in salary cap room with more than $19 million available to spend, per Spotrac.

There are 3 big issues that general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has to confront, and the sooner he can reach a satisfactory conclusion to them the better.

Most critical is the situation with edge rusher Danielle Hunter, who did not show up for the team’s mandatory minicamp. The issue on his part is money, as Hunter is under contract and will receive $5.4 million this season.

Based on his 10.5 sacks last season, that’s a solid bargain for the team. However, the 29-year-old Hunter is not a sure thing at this point in his career. He was one of the best pass rushers in the league in 2018 and 2019 when he had 14.5 sacks in each of those season. The following two seasons were lost years, as he played just seven games combined. His comeback last year was both encouraging and discouraging.

Sure, 10.5 sacks is a respectable total, but Hunter lacked consistency. He was a non-factor in too many games, and when he didn’t get a sack or put pressure on a quarterback early, he tended to disappear.

The Vikings simply cannot trade him, however. Even though his track record could bring at least a second-round draft pick, what would new defensive coordinator Brian Flores do without him? If the defense is going to improve and stop opposing offenses this season, it needs a superstar player who is going to put his imprint on the game. Hunter is the closest thing to that the Vikings have.

The Vikings have been one of the worst defensive teams in the NFL for the last three years, and they are banking on Flores having a scheme to drive improvement. It’s possible, but only if they have a superstar who plays like one. Hunter is their biggest and best hope.

The second issue is Justin Jefferson’s contract. Many NFL observers believe that Jefferson is the best receiver in the league, and even if he isn’t, he is in the top three.

Jefferson will have a cap hit of nearly $4.2 million in 2023, and he will remain under the Vikings control next season. But he clearly is at the head of the team’s long-term plans and they need to sign him to a long-term deal.

Unlike many elite receivers, Jefferson has not displayed multiple diva-like qualities. He wants to work hard and he can take the physical play that other receivers often want to avoid. He is coming off a sensational 128-1,809-8 season, and he has a chance to rank with peak Randy Moss as the best receiver in franchise history.

Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell both love what Jefferson has done and know that he will continue to shine. It is time to make sure he stays in a Vikings uniform for the long haul and is paid like one of the best wideouts in the game.

That should be a fairly cut-and-dried decision. The situation with quarterback Kirk Cousins is anything thing but.

Cousins has been the subject of non-stop internal and external debate, and Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell have to come to a conclusion about what to do with him.

The Vikings can part company with Cousins after this season, and he will have a cap hit of $20.25 million in 2023.

He is coming off a season in which he elevated his status in the Minnesota locker room and completed 65.9 percent of his passes while throwing for 4,547 yards with a 29-14 TD-interception ratio.

Cousins has had better numbers in the past, but his leadership value has never been higher. Whether it’s enough to warrant a further extension is unclear.

Cousins still struggles in the biggest moments, but how much does he deserve to be blamed? He is not good enough to overcome a team with one of the worst defenses in the league, but improvement is expected this season.

If the Vikings decide to move on from Cousins – and he is likely to sense such a move before it is made official – the team will become largely rudderless.

Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell may have little choice at this point but to extend him.